Recently, I posted an summary sketch of the type of analysis needed to bring some sense to the politics of climate debate. Increasingly, the rush to action by politicians in their zeal to be recognized as champions of the planet has been creating a growing economic friction between the rich western nations and the poorer Asian and African nations. There is an increasing likelihood that the red herring of limiting CO2 will become a very real economic and environmental conflict between the "haves" and the "want to haves."
For example:
- US, China, India rebuff call to form a climate group
- China, India, Brazil Hold Up Climate Change Talks
- Global Warming Report: Convincing Asia
I suspect that until the one-sided approach [CO2] is abandoned in favor of a logical and reasonable approach to assessing vulnerabilities (real or suspected), we will be seeing many more such headlines. Meanwhile, the CO2 debate is far from over... even if the politicians are anxious to cash in.
I want to issue an appeal to our American friends, to tell them that they can count on our friendship, which has been forged in the tragedies of history which we have faced together. I want to tell them that France will always be by their side when they need it, but I also want to tell them that friendship means accepting that your friends may think differently and that a great nation such as the United States has a duty not to put obstacles in the way of the fight against global warming, but on the contrary to take the lead in this fight, because what is at stake is the fate of humanity as a whole. France will make this battle its primary battle.Of course, the French were smart enough to build a power grid based on nuclear power which politicians elsewhere rejected because of... environmentalists... who are trying to regroup under the global warming banner, but find their options getting fewer as major players are rejecting the so-called "green" approach.
--Nicolas Sarkozy, 6 May 2007 [from Benny Peiser]
Right now it is still a fight between CO2, environment, energy, and economy. It's time to get rational.
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